Spray equipment and method

ABSTRACT

Spray equipment of lightweight primarily adapted for mobile installation and including means for mixing spray solution during spraying and in response to flow of water into a spray tank. The equipment features a lightweight spray tank, mixing device, and novel hose reel features.

This is a division of application Ser. No. 315,295, filed Dec. 15, 1972,now U.S. Pat. No. 3,856,274 of Dec. 24, 1974.

My invention relates to spray equipment primarily for the spraying ofinsecticides and the like, and method of spraying, and more particularlyas relates to a system assembly and components, primarily for truckinstallation.

Truck installations of spray equipment for such purpose are broadly notnew. However, the component parts of such equipment are cumbersome andheavy, and when installed as a system in a mobile unit such as a truck,the system may weigh several hundred pounds, and due to the cumbersomeof such components, a truck installation occupies most of the availablespace, leaving little if any space for anything else.

Aside from this, the excessive weight of prior available installationsmanifest in the added cost of transportation and operation, both ofwhich are continuing factors and therefor important from an economicstandpoint.

Among the objects of my invention are;

1. To provide a novel and improved spray equipment assembly which lendsitself to a light weight and compact installation for trucks or othertype of mobile apparatus;

2. To provide a novel and improved spray equipment assembly of suchlight weight and compactness as to enable installation in small lightweight trucks and other mobile equipment, and with room to spare;

3. To provide a spray equipment assembly involving novel and improvedcompatible components of light weight and embodying novel features;

4. To provide a novel and improved hose reel assembly of light weightand substantial hose capacity;

5. To provide a novel and improved hose reel assembly having brake meansholding the reel against rotation, when rotation is not desired.

6. To provide a novel and improved means in spray equipment for mixing apesticide or the like with water in measured quantity to form a solutionof desired concentration;

7. To provide a novel and improved mixing means for spray equipment orthe like, which meters a small volume component in accordance with flowof a larger volume component with which it is to be mixed;

8. To provide a novel and improved solution storage tank which isadmirably adapted for a mobile installation of spray equipment;

9. To provide a novel and improved solution storage tank of simple andextremely light weight construction;

10. To provide a novel and improved method of formulating a spraysolution to relate its preparation to its use.

Additional objects of my invention will be brought out in the followingdescription of a preferred embodiment of the same, taken in conjunctionwith the accompanying drawings wherein;

FIG. 1 is a plan view of my improved spray equipment assembly asinstalled in a small truck or more comparable mobile unit;

FIG. 2 is a view in section, taken in the plane 2--2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a view in section, taken in the plane 3--3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a view taken in the plane 4--4 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a view taken in the plane 5--5 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a view taken in the plane 6--6 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is a view taken in the plane 7--7 of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a view taken in the plane 8--8 of FIG. 6;

FIG. 9 is a view taken in the plane 9--9 of FIG. 7;

FIG. 10 is a view in section, taken in the plane 10--10 of FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is a view in section, taken in the plane 11--11 of FIG. 10;

FIG. 12 is a view taken in the plane 12--12 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 13 is a plan view looking at the upper end of the device of FIG. 2;

FIG. 14 is a plan view looking at the underside of the device of FIG.12;

FIG. 15 is a view in section taken in the plane 15--15 of FIG. 12;

FIG. 16 is a view in section taken in the plane 16--16 of FIG. 15; and

FIG. 17 is a view in section taken in the plane 17--17 of FIG. 15.

Referring to the drawings for details of my invention in its preferredform, the spray equipment assembly has been illustrated in FIG. 1 asinstalled in a small truck compartment 1 or comparable mobile unit,involving a general a hosereel assembly 3 installed at one rear cornerof the truck compartment, said assembly including a reel 5 having a hose7 installed thereon, with one end coupled to an axial shaft passageway 9(FIG. 9), leaving the opposite end of the hose free for connection tosome external source of water supply.

At the opposite end of said hollow axial passageway, in a hose couplingfitting 13 for connection of a hose 15 from this point to a chemicalratio mixing device 17, the output of which connects to a storage tank19 disposed transversely of the truck compartment adjacent the cab endthereof.

This tank is connected to the suction line of a pump 23, which in turndischarges to the hose fitting 13 at the end of a hollow shaftpassageway 9 of a hose reel assembly 27 similar to that previouslydescribed. A hose 29 stored on this hose reel assembly is flow coupledat the opposite end of this axial hollow passage with its other end freefor discharge.

The hose reel assembly 3 and 27, each is made up of a pair of bellshaped components 33, 35 each comprising a cylindrical section 37terminating at one end in a base 39 and at its other end in an outwardlydirected flange 41, and formed from a disc of metal, preferably sheetaluminum, on a lathe with the use of suitable forming tools.

These bell shaped components are joined base to base to form the spoolor reel 7. This reel is rotatably mounted on a fixed hollow shaft 43which is horizontally supported at one end only, on the end of a bracketarm 45, the other end of which is welded or otherwise affixed to amounting plate 49.

In rotatably mounting the reel to this stationary hollow shaft, ashallow dish shaped disc 51 is nestled into the bottom of one of thebell shaped components and anchored into position with the bases at thetime of joining the two components base to base, which can beaccomplished through the use of a plurality of bolts 53. A sleeve 55rotatably mounted on the fixed hollow shaft and passing through the dishshaped disc and connected bases, is connected thereto as by welding,whereby the reel may freely rotate about the fixed hollow shaft.

The reel is restricted as to its position on the hollow shaft bysuitable stops 57 welded to the fixed hollow shaft adjacent one end ofthe sleeve, while at its other end, the sleeve faces a thrust bearing 59which is threaded onto the hollow shaft and sufficiently close to thesleeve as to render the thrust bearing capable of being threaded intopressure engagement with the proximate end of the sleeve when desired,to inhibit rotation of the reel, or being backed off sufficiently topermit free rotation of the reel.

To effect such tightening or looseing of the thrust bearing, a radialarm 61 extends from the thrust bearing and is provided with a hand grip63 at its remote end, to enable manually rotation of the thrust bearingin whichever direction desired.

The threaded end of the hollow shaft extends through the thrust bearingand beyond, and to this end is affixed a swivel assembly 67 involving anut 69 threaded to the end of the hollow shaft and having an axialextension 71 formed with a reduced intermediate portion 73 and having anaxial bore 75 terminating in the region of the intermediate section ofreduced outside diameter.

About this extension is rotatably sealed, as by spaced O-rings 77, aswivel hose fitting 79 having an enlarged intermediate portion 81registering with the reduced intermediate portion 73 of the extension toprovide a circumferential passage 83 flow connecting with an internallythreaded discharge opening 85 adapted from receiving a threaded end of ahose.

One end of such a hose is adapted to pass through an opening 87 in theproximate end of the reel, such hose being then adapted for storage onthe reel in the conventional manner.

At the bracket supporting end of the fixed shaft, is connected an elbow89 to which the hose fitting 13 is connected.

The hose reel as thus described, being constructed primarily of lightweight sheet aluminum will, overall, be of very light weight, yet, byreason of its method of construction and assembly, will be very ruggedand durable. In addition, the braking feature incorporated into the hosereel construction, provides a very simple and convenient way of lockingthe hose reel when it becomes desirable to do so, and by the simpleoperation of backing off the thrust bearing, the reel becomes free ofsuch restraint and capable of running free with a minmum of friction.The ratio mixing device 17 is formed preferably from a substantiallycylindrical block 93 of any suitable material as aluminum and isprovided with a substantially axial passageway from its input end 95 toa point adjacent its opposite end 97 where it is flow coupled through afitting connection opening 99 to the storage tank 19. This axial passageincludes a flow rate indicator 103 and a venturi 105 and provides a flowpassage for the larger volume ingredient of the spray mixture to beformed. In the majority of instances, such major volume ingredient willbe water.

The flow rate indicator comprises a transparent tube 109 installedadjacent the input end of the device, the tube having an expandingpassage with its larger end adjacent the input end to the venturi. Aball indicator 113 of somewhat greater gravity than the water or otherliquid to flow through this passage, is adapted to be lifted inaccordance with flow rate of such liquid, and thus, with propercalibration on the transparent tube, the position of the ball willindicate the flow rate of liquid through the passageway.

To confine movement of the ball to a specified path and therebyfacilitate readings, the ball is slidably mounted on an axiallypositioned stem 115 which is anchored at its lower end by a right anglebend to the wall of the tube. Readings on a scale provided on the glasstube are made possible by removing sufficient of the cylinder wall ofthe device to expose an adequate portion of the transparent tube, whichexposed portion then functions as a window.

The tube is installed by inserting it axially into a cylindrical chamberformed in the cylinder block 93 and retained therein by a cylindricalplug 117 having an interior threaded passage 119 for connection of afitting or a hose coupling. A suitable O-ring 12, at each end of thetransparent tube, will function as seals at these points.

The venturi 105 forming part of the main passageway, includes acylindrical portion 123 and an upwardly flaring portion 125, at thejunction of which, a region of reduced pressure results from the flow ofliquid thereathrough, the degree of reduction of pressure being afunction of the flow rate of liquid therethrough. This pressure, beinglower than atmosphere pressure, can be utilized to draw in liquid whichis at atmospheric pressure, and the rate at which such liquid will bedrawn in, will be a function of the difference in pressure betweenatmospheric pressure and the lower pressure in the venturi, with thefrictional resistance of the flow path of such liquid to the venturitaken into account.

To provide for such intake of liquid, a passageway 129 of considerablysmaller diameter than the main flow passage has the intake end at thelower end of the housing and extends upwardly to flow connect with aflow rate indicator 131 of substantially smaller diameter than that inthe main flow passageway. This flow indicator is in much the same manneras the other, but through the upper end of the housing, and involves anupwardly flaring transparent tube 133 presenting a much narrowerpassageway than the corresponding tube in the main flow passageway, andlike the other flow rate indicator, contains a ball 135 of somewhatgreater specific gravity than the liquid to flow therethrough. Becauseof the narrower passage provided by the tube of this flow rateindicator, a guide stem is not essential. To render the ball visible, asection of the housing is removed sufficiently to expose a longitudinalportion of the tube to view, and this exposed portion may be calibratedif desired or provided with suitable markings to indicate a prevailingflow rate of liquid therethrough. An O-ring 137 at each end will serveto seal the passageway at these points as in the other flow indicator.

At the upper end of the tube and bearing against the proximate O-ring,is a valve seat 139 for an adjustable needle valve 141 which isadjustably threaded in a plug 143 installed in the upper end of theblock, this plug being separated from the valve seat by a spacer 145sealed at each end by an O-ring 147 and having an intermediate sectionof reduced outside diameter to provide a circumferential chamber 149thereabout and which is connected to the region around the needle valveby a perforation 151 through the wall of this spacer. Thiscircumferential chamber 149 is flow connected through a passageway 153in the wall of the housing and leading to the main flow passageway atthe low pressure region in the venturi.

The flow rate indicators will provide information which will enable oneto determine the prevailing ratio of volume of water or main flowingredient to the ingredient which is being added thereto, and suchratio can be adjusted by adjustments of the needle valve.

Thus, with a source of water and an adequate supply 155 of a spraychemical to be added thereto, the mixer will proportion the ingredientsin accordance with a desired ratio and feed the same to the storage tank19.

This storage tank is very simply fabricated of thin sheet metal or othersuitable sheet material. It comprises a pair of opposing side walls 159,161, and between the side walls is inserted a bottom 163 with upturnedends to form the end walls 165, 167, the inserted bottom and end wallsbeing secured as by welding to the side walls. Both the side and endwalls are preferably flanged inwardly at their upper ends to providesupport for a cover 168, which may be removably fastened to the flangesby sheet metal screws.

A man-hole cover 169 provided in the top, enables access to the interiorof the resulting tank, when removal of the cover is not necessary.

The bottom 163 is preferably trough shaped, that is sloping from eachend wall down to a low point in the middle, and by installing the bottomabove the lower edges of the side walls, the side wall portions belowthe bottom function as supporting legs 171, 173 for the tank which runthe full length of the tank, and these are preferably turned under on anarc at their lower edges to form feet 175. By so arcing the feet, aspring or cushion effect results, and without concentration of stresswhich could bring about metal fatigue and possible cracking orfracturing of the legs.

A tank so constructed is of extremely light weight yet quite rugged, andone which can readily be fabricated from thin sheet metal.

Discharge from the tank can occur by way of a fitting 177 installed in aside wall thereof at the lowermost region of the trough.

Just above this discharge fitting, a shaft 179 passing through andjournalled in a side wall is rotatably supported within the tank, andmay be used to drive agitating vanes to maintain the spray solution inconstant agitation. On the exposed end of this shaft is mounted a pulley181 for belt driving the agitator.

Solution is pumped from the tank by the pump 23 by way of an intake hosesuction line 187 flow connecting the tank discharge fitting to thesuction end of the pump, and a discharge line 189 from the pump to thehose fitting of the remaining hose reel assembly 27 from where it willflow through the associated hose to a spray nozzle.

The pump driven by a suitable motor or engine 191 is supported above thefloor of the truck adjacent to the spray tank, by a supporting bracket193 straddling the approximate wheel well 195 of the truck, andinvolving a vertical section 197 flanged at its lower end for bolting tothe floor of the truck body, and at its upper end supporting one end ofa horizontal component 199 extending across the wheel well to the sidewall or panel 201 of the truck body where this end is supported by anangle 203 welded at its lower end to the horizontal component andresting on the upper edge of the side wall or panel to which it isbolted. This simple support is not only rugged, but most of the weightof the pump and drive engine is carried by the vertical member 197 incomparison, while the entire supporting bracket tends to reinforce andbrace the side wall or panel of the truck.

The drive engine 191 is belt coupled to a pulley 205 on the pump shaft.A second pulley 207 on this shaft is belt connected to the agitatorpulley 181 whereby so long as the pump is functioning, the agitator willalso be operating.

Connected also to the intake side of the pump is an overflow connection211 to the upper region of the spray tank, whereby in the event the tankfor some reason, tends to overfill, the spray solution will drain to thepump and be pumped out with that taken from the lower region of thetank.

Inasmuch as the hose reel assemblies and storage tank are fabricated ofsheet metal and therefore are quite light in weight and compact, theentire system occupies very little space, permitting the entire rear endof the truck body can be occupied by a storage box 213 fabricated oflight weight sheet metal and such box may be utilized as a support forthe hose reel assemblies, thereby rendering them readily accessible byan operator.

Aside from the various structural features of the system and its variouscomponents, the use of the mixer in the sytem, in the manner indicated,provides for considerable economy, not only from the view point of asavings in materials, but also from the viewpoint of considerablesavings in both time and labor, a factor which might not be obvious fromthe above description of the system and its component parts.

In accordance with prior practice, an operator premixes his formulation,and since he hates to run out of spray before finishing the jobcontemplated, which would necessitate the formulation of an additionalshort batch, he will invariably overfill his tank, therby leaving theoperator with an excess amount remaining in the tank upon completion ofthe job, and this may run as high as fifty to one hundred gallons ofspray solution.

Very frequently, an operator will want a small amount (usually underfifteen gallons) of a special mix to treat one tree or shrub suffering aspecial problem. Usually, when the basic job is done, the operator willadd chemical to the spray remaining in the tank, or mix up a specialbatch to do the job. This necessitates estimating the desired amount ofspray in a large metal box of uncertain dimensions, that is usuallysitting far out of level, due to the vehicle being parked in a slopingdriveway, so the operator is compelled to estimate how many ounces ofchemical to add to such uncertain amount of solution remaining in histank. Inasmuch as this involves considerable amount of guesswork, suchinformation could invite financial as well as ecological disaster, andfrequently results in damage to the tree or shrub being treated.

The operator, in addition, is frequently faced with the problem of howto handle solutions remaining in his tank following his completion of ajob. He may spray the excess material out on the job without being paidfor it, or follow the illegal procedure of dumping the excess solutioninto a gutter or sewer, or hope that he will be able to utilize some ofit on the next job.

The present system which utilizes the mixing device, enables theoperator to mix his solution as he utilizes it. Since the sprayingprocedure, itself, involves starts and stops, there is an averageutilization of the spray solution from the tank, and the mixing deviceis so adjusted as to supply solution to the tank at a rate correspondingto such average use, or probably slightly in excess thereof. Theoperator, therefore, exercises a very close control over the amount ofsolution in his tank at any time, and experience dictates that, at thecompletion of the job, there should remain five to ten gallons of spraysolution in the tank with which to start the next job.

This ability to control the formulation of the spray solution as it isbeing utilized, is entirely independent of tank orientation (whether itis on a level or not) and eliminates essentially all guesswork. It isestimated that in following past procedures, a 10 to 15 percent ofchemical could be wasted or otherwise lost. Elimination of such waste,results in a savings of 10 to 15 percent in chemical cost alone, whichcould represent several thousands of dollars per year to a concern inthis business.

The mixer, furthermore, offers the important advantage of eliminatingguess work in the proportioning out of ingredients making up the spraysolution. Once the ratio has been set, it will not vary materiallydespite fluctuations in the water supply since any such fluctuationswill cause corresponding variations in the introduction of chemical.

Aside from the foregoing advantages attributable to the presence of themixer in the system, the overall system installation permits of aconsiderable savings in labor, occasioned partly by the fact that iteliminates the necessity for manually formulating the spray solution andfilling the tank before spraying, which operation takes on the order oftwenty minutes for filling a one hundred and fifty gallon tank. Thenupon completion of a job, a period of the order of fifteen minutes isrequired to stow all equipment, write up a bill and depart from the jobsite, and some require longer because, in lieu of hose reels, the hoseis wound upon brackets.

The present system not only eliminates essentially the twenty minuteperiod consumed in preparing the spray solution and filling the tank,but reduces the completion time involving the stowing of the equipment.With the use of power hose reels, a normal job time of fortyfive minutesfollowing conventional procedures, can be cut to sixteen minutesutilizing the system of the present invention. Accordingly, theresulting savings in time and labor can be considerable.

From the foregoing description of the invention in its preferred form,it will be apparent that the same is subject to alteration andmodification without departing from the underlying principles involved,and I, accordingly, do not desire to be limited in my protection to thespecific details illustrated and described, except as may benecessitated by the appended claims.

I claim:
 1. Spray equipment comprising a hose having one end availablefor connection to the discharge end of a spigot, a tank, means flowcoupling the other end of said hose, to said tank, a second hose meansflow coupling said second hose, at one end, to said tank, said secondhose terminating at its other end for discharge, a source of sprayingredient at substantially atmospheric pressure, and means responsivesubstantially proportionally to flow velocity of liquid through saidfirst hose to said tank, for introducing into said first hose for flowwith said liquid to said tank, a flow of said ingredient.
 2. Sprayequipment in accordance with claim 1, characterized by said flowresponsive means maintaining a substantially constant ratio of liquidflowing through said first hose, to said flow of ingredient.
 3. Sprayequipment in accordance with claim 1, characterized by means foraltering the responsive flow of said ingredient.
 4. Spray equipment inaccordance with claim 2, characterized by means for altering said ratioof flows.
 5. Spray equipment in accordance with claim 1, characterizedby said means for flow coupling said first hose to said tank, includinga hose reel assembly, and said means for flow coupling said second hoseto said tank including a pump and a hose reel assembly.
 6. Sprayequipment in accordance with claim 3, characterized by said means forflow coupling said first hose to said tank, including a hose reelassembly, and said means for flow coupling said second hose to said tankincluding a pump and a hose reel assembly.
 7. Spray equipment inaccordance with claim 6, characterized by means for driving said pump, amobile unit on which said equipment is installed, said mobile unithaving a floor and a side panel, and means for supporting said pump anddriving means, said supporting means including a bracket extending fromsaid floor to said side panel to assist in bracing said side panel, saidbracket including a horizontal section, and means for mounting said pumpand drive means on said horizontal section.
 8. The method of making andspraying a solution of a chemical in a base liquid or solventcomprising, spraying such a solution from a tank, while simultaneouslyand continuously replenishing such solution to said tank during a sprayperiod, by continuously flowing base liquid into said tank throughoutsuch period and adding chemical in a substantially proportional responseto such flow of base liquid.
 9. The method in accordance with claim 8,characterized by simultaneously adding chemical to said flowing baseliquid in response to such flow of base liquid.
 10. The method inaccordance with claim 9, characterized by aspirating said chemical inresponse to such flow of base liquid and adjusting the rate of flow ofsuch base liquid to approximately the average rate of discharge of suchspray solution throughout such period.